Amusements at Higashiyama in Kyoto

People from every social class appear in vignettes across this pair of screens: samurai serve as the central figures, accompanied by courtiers and court ladies, itinerant performers, and mendicant monks. Together, these citizens of Kyoto enjoy a sunny afternoon at the height of the cherry-blossom season. Each screen features one of the city’s celebrated sites: Kiyomizudera Temple in the right-hand screen, and Yasaka Shrine in the other.

In both scenes, elite samurai gather for festive banquets beneath the blossoms. The custom of eating and drinking outdoors during hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) spurred the creation of luxurious portable lacquer bento boxes and sake flasks, examples of which appear in the composition. On the right side of the right screen, a chef prepares sashimi, while a variety of ceramic vessels—including large celadon and blue-and-white wares—are carefully depicted, attesting to their use among high-ranking warriors.